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Northern LIght
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From: Hollis Rudiger <hmrudiger>
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 10:24:03 -0600
Well, folks around here are likely getting tired of my A Northern Light obsession. But if I were back in a HS classroom, I would not hesitate to make this THE book around which to base all other novel units. It really does address or include everything we want kids to think about when reading critically, and best of all, it's a great read! Truly A Great American Novel. (not to mention that if you teach with this bookm you get built in vocab lessons, and great advertising for other Greats, including, House of Mirth, Huck Finn, Tess of the D'Urberville, Count of Monte Christo, Scarlet Letter, Wuthering Heights, Leaves of Grass...
And I am intrugued by the discussion thus far of M's choices and happy endings. We have heard from an adult that she felt "claustrophobic" and
"almost wanted to stop reading" about M's confining life. And then, a female 8th grader who seemed to favor that lifestyle. Reminds me that in spite of the women's movement's attempts to unify us, there really is a spectrum of responses to the challenges of Being an American Woman, and also, that girls and women at different ages have very different needs and expectations of their literary heroines. Let's ask that same 8th grader to reread the book as a college fresh-person(?) and see what she thinks?
Does anyone else see this as a classic Antigone tale? Each woman, not just Mattie, faces the conflict between her own (God's) law and that of the land (the cultural norm) In fact, I think her teacher,Miss Wilcox , is the most tragic character, and it is her situation that makes me the most queasy/claustrophobic. The Little Mermaid sacrificed her voice to be with the one she loved (ick) But Emily Wilcox sacrificed who she WAS in order to use her voice. Hmmmm. Like I said, I am obsessed with this book! Hollis
Hollis Rudiger, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center University of Wisconsin-School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706
hmrudiger at education.wisc.edu Voice: 608&3930 Fax: 608&2I33 www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
Received on Thu 26 Feb 2004 10:24:03 AM CST
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 10:24:03 -0600
Well, folks around here are likely getting tired of my A Northern Light obsession. But if I were back in a HS classroom, I would not hesitate to make this THE book around which to base all other novel units. It really does address or include everything we want kids to think about when reading critically, and best of all, it's a great read! Truly A Great American Novel. (not to mention that if you teach with this bookm you get built in vocab lessons, and great advertising for other Greats, including, House of Mirth, Huck Finn, Tess of the D'Urberville, Count of Monte Christo, Scarlet Letter, Wuthering Heights, Leaves of Grass...
And I am intrugued by the discussion thus far of M's choices and happy endings. We have heard from an adult that she felt "claustrophobic" and
"almost wanted to stop reading" about M's confining life. And then, a female 8th grader who seemed to favor that lifestyle. Reminds me that in spite of the women's movement's attempts to unify us, there really is a spectrum of responses to the challenges of Being an American Woman, and also, that girls and women at different ages have very different needs and expectations of their literary heroines. Let's ask that same 8th grader to reread the book as a college fresh-person(?) and see what she thinks?
Does anyone else see this as a classic Antigone tale? Each woman, not just Mattie, faces the conflict between her own (God's) law and that of the land (the cultural norm) In fact, I think her teacher,Miss Wilcox , is the most tragic character, and it is her situation that makes me the most queasy/claustrophobic. The Little Mermaid sacrificed her voice to be with the one she loved (ick) But Emily Wilcox sacrificed who she WAS in order to use her voice. Hmmmm. Like I said, I am obsessed with this book! Hollis
Hollis Rudiger, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center University of Wisconsin-School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706
hmrudiger at education.wisc.edu Voice: 608&3930 Fax: 608&2I33 www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
Received on Thu 26 Feb 2004 10:24:03 AM CST
